Shareware Overload/ShartewareOverload.cdr/progm/funkybox.zip/HORNBOOK.DOC

Text File | 1983-04-11 | 16KB | 320 lines

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             E N H A N C E D  D O S   H O R N B O O K

                IBM-PC  EDLIN      PAGE  I  OF  V

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The HORNBOOK is another DOS service tutorial in the series titled
DISKLINK-DIRECTORY and is prepared and distributed by PEOPLE SYSTEMS,
LTD.(c) 1983. 78 Maplevale Drive, Woodbridge, CT 06525. 203-393-3913

We call these service programs because they are useful to many people,
and they are easy to learn and use. DOS and EDLIN have many
powerful facilities that this tutorial is designed to explain and
expand on the DOS manual. With its few minor faults EDLIN is
still worth taking the time to get familiar with even if you own an-
other Word Processor ( W.P.). You already know the keys, so why not?

The HORNBOOK will demonstrate  some enhanced command procedures such
as REPEAT line, MOVE line, SWAP line, and SPLIT line. You will learn
the DOS operation of two keyboard buffers. We will call them command
buffer  and line buffer. After this news we will also offer you some
homespun tips on making your EDLIN usage easier and faster, with less
room for error and confusion. There is a section on EDLIN WARNINGS
that can prove beneficial to DOS users, and finally a "SCORE CARD"
for EDLIN to keep handy for your use. However, you wont need it for
long after you play with EDLIN and DOS  for a while.

It is interesting to note that several of these commands have been
implemented in DOS 2.0 along with a block move. Try them both ways,
you can still use them  with the F3 key if you don't like the DOS 2.0.

Although most IBM-PC users have had practice with some EDLIN usage
and are familiar with the DOS manual, there is no substitute for
practising with sample entries to get acquainted without the pressure
of losing valuable data if an accident occurs. Users have said that
they tried DOS-EDLIN but gave it up when it lost lines or reversed
them or lost data when the disk was too full. BASIC has a full-screen
editor that is easier to use, BUT there are no Search or Replace calls.

Of course, salepeople wanted to sell full screen oriented W. P.s and
put down EDLIN because it was a  simple line editor, without a lot
of bells and whistles (that many people never need or use). Perhaps,
because it was free, users took its value lightly and never got fam-
iliar with the super-speed SEARCH and REPLACE commands. They can whiz
through a file almost instantly and come up with the answers before
any BASIC programming could ever complete the task.

We all are familiar with EDLIN's limitations but some aren't aware of
EDLIN's productivity and easy usage, because they didn't try it long
enough to really get over the difficult period during the first few
hours of use. All right, EDLIN doesn't right justify paragraphs, but
EDLIN doesn't reformat the line so that it looks like the typist was
either drunk or stupid. Finding a $ at the end of a line and the num-
bers over on the beginning of the next line is hard to accept.

Users say they want to see the page in final form, before printing.
EDLIN does just this. What you see is what you get. Perhaps, if text,
no numbers, is all you're typing (like a munuscript) a WP may help your
production (full screen editor and text formatting). But, if you are






typing technical work (called statistical typing among the girls) there
are many reasons to stay with EDLIN.

Ever tear your hair out when the W.P. carefully positions a  ( or ) at
end of the line, front or back and worst of all, splits large numbers
on two lines etc.etc. Of course, there are some people who dont use WP
right justify also because a few long words in a line can produce a
print out with more spaces than copy. Hyphenation, the printer's abom-
ination is a slow proceedure in typesetting computers and even worse
in a few MICRO W.P.s . Usually the text has to be printed out to find
the bad line and paragraph breaks. Then the words affected are hyph-
enated and repaired and the print out checking starts all over again.

Edlin doesn't format the printer except MODE can be used for column
width of 132 characters. MXPLUS makes this easy with EDLIN using
manual buttons for printing control.

But let's give EDLIN an opportunity to show its stuff. Its worth the
time and trouble, we believe. For example, EDLIN will format its page
and paragraph breaks easily and if you add or subtract lines later,
its not difficult to adjust the pagination. On 8-1/2 x 11 there are
66 EDLIN lines and you know where each one of them is going. There are
no one word paragraph surprises on the next page with EDLIN. What you
see is what you print-out.

EDLIN FILES
These are usually text files (ASCII) but need not have been prepared
on EDLIN generally. They can also be source files for programming in
BASIC, FORTRAN, PASCAL, or COBOL. EDLIN will read some BASIC program
files depending on the control characters embedded in them. So if you
try to read a file which EDLIN bob-tails or shortens use  Q )uit to
exit without saving. There is a caution about this later on.

The DOS manual says that EDLIN has a line length of 253 characters. It
does but the IBM printer will print it all on one line, to save paper.
So if you want to be able to read your EDLIN files dont go over length.
The screen prints them properly but the printer needs a line feed and
they are much easier to edit if every line has a number in EDLIN.

NEW EDLIN PROCEDURES -- REPEAT -- SPLIT -- MOVE -- SWAP LINES

DOS doesn't detail these procedures but if you investigate the
line buffer you'll find they are available without much difficulty.
DOS calls the line buffer an input buffer or "template" in the manual.
But on the DOS card its called the "retained" line. They do not mention
the command buffer, that is there to confuse you but is of little use.

REPEAT LINE
This procedure is made simple by the fact that the line buffer holds
each line as it is entered until it is replaced by another line or a
line of spaces. In insert, type a line and enter it. Now on the
next line number press function key F3 and the buffer will print
its contents on that line and the next and the next as long as you
keep entering F3, the same line each time. If you change it, enter it,
the buffer will hold the changed line as entered.

All the function keys for editing work here. F1, F2, F3, and F4 do
what you would expect. Remember, after using F4 to skip over, you must
use F1, or F2, or F3 to put the letters on the line. DO NOT TOUCH F6
It can bobtail your file when you try to read it again. It's a code
for EOF (end of file).





Now how do we make this REPEAT line  go where we want it ? First try
this. Do a line edit command by typing in the line number that you want
to MOVE. Type it at the command prompt (the leftmost asterisk *_ ).
The entry should look like this    *22  enter  if it is line 22 you
desire. Now F3 enter to put it in the "template buffer" (line buffer).

You have merely confirmed the line without editing and loaded the
buffer with the line. Now at command prompt  type in a line number
with  i  after it for insert  23i  and enter. EDLIN will reproduce that
line number in the insert form 23:*   and if you press F3 enter, CTRL-
BK the line in the buffer will be inserted in the line shown. Now you
have the same line in two places. Do an L enter and determine which
one to delete. Be careful of  D or d  they can be dangerous. Verify
every delete command very carefully. Do a list before and  after every
delete command to see the changed line numbers before you proceed.

SPLIT LINE
To split a line repeat it right above itself and then edit the front
half and insert a line for more words and then insert a blank line for
a paragraph. Then reword the second half line to fill the line or if
you're not that fussy, use it in a bobtailed fashion.

The procedure once more. After any (insert text enter) or (edit line
enter, F3 enter sequence) the buffer holds the last text line entered.
If you enter a line of spaces (no text) the buffer will be empty.
Select line to insert above (17) and enter 17i then F3 enter and the
line will now be on line 17 also and wherever it came from. Each time
you press  F3 enter   in insert mode you will repeat the line. Press
Ctrl-Bk to end insert mode and do an  L (list) to see the results.

You have now REPEATed and MOVEd a line. Practise it. Remember F3 will
only print out in the insert mode, when you have picked a line to put
(insert) it before that line number.

Here is the sequence of commands to REPEAT line 22 before line 7 for
example. Type at the command prompt   *22 enter F3 enter  at the next
command prompt   *7i  enter F3 enter.   Then to kill the insert mode
CTRL-BK . You now have line 22 REPEATed at line 7 . Do an L (list)
to see the effects and the changed line numbers.

SWAP LINE
To swap one line with another: do a REPEAT of lowest line in its new
linenumber. Do an L (list to determine the new numbers). Then REPEAT
the other line in its new position. Do an L (list) and note the lines
to delete.  Do the bottom one first, then the upper delete so as not to
change the line numbers or do a L after every delete to see what line
needs deleting. Doing an L every time is safest and it only takes a
second to be safe.

EDLIN OPERATING SUGGESTIONS
1.Do not overrun line into the left margin of the screen. If line pops
up, stop typing and slowly backspace  each character on the second
line and count characters to be backspaced on the original line. Back-
space these characters slowly, even though you don't see anything being
deleted. Then enter the corrected line.(Press CTRL-BRK and enter the
corrected line number, to see it). Then, put the dropped letters on
the next line you type, and keep right on going. It works fine, watch.

2. Keep EDLIN lines under 60 - 65 characters when typing them in. Leave
room for editing. Mark screen with felt tip pen at say 64 characters
and last character before overrun. Use vertical lines. They wipe off.





DOS says EDLIN lines can be 253 characters in length. Don't go past
the pop up point. Printer needs line feeds or overrun lines are printed
all on one line. For best results each line should have its own number.
DOS lines are normally up to 128 chars long MAX. Use CTRL-ENTER for LF

4. Always pause in command prompt (col 1 asterisk) to avoid incorrect
entries on the line prompt  nnn:*  If interrupted use E )xitsave.

5. See special regimen for D )elete on "SCORE CARD" to avoid wipe-outs.

6. Use three blank lines at top and bottom of pages. There are 66 lines
per 8.5 x 11 inch page. Format pages by leaving lines 63 to 69 blank,
on the first perforation, 130 to 135 on the second perforation etc.
Enter 60L then 126L then 190L to see the blanks spaces for perf skip.

7. Use period  .  enter for current line. See current line review.
Only use  . (period) enter for line editing. Do not use for delete.

8. Insert  i locates BEFORE the line number used. *10i means before 10
New line becomes number 10.

9. Best rule -- at command prompt use form *17,33L  which means L )ist
lines 17 to 33 inclusive. Do not use space instead of comma.
Its better NOT to use  *,L which means current line (,comma) L )ist.
Commands beginning with a comma can cause wipe-outs in D )elete.
It is preferred not to use  ,  or   #  or  .  commands until you have
mastered the straight single line commands. Never use them in D )elete
Remember, the line number always comes before the l.c. letter.

10. It's easy to confuse command prompt ( * at col 1) with current
line insert prompt  174:*______  (asterisk is at col 8)

11. There will be an asterisk on each new (inserted) line because the
screen buffer holds the line as entered. A List shows the current line
asterisk, or none if it was used with a CTRL-BK.

12. Unless you are purposely deleting a line with ESC its a good habit
to leave an edited line that you want continued with an enter.

13. While typing in a line, if an error is less than half a line back,
backspace and correct it immediately. If further back, finish the line
and enter it. Do a CTRL-BK and enter the error line number. Correct
the line and proceed to insert mode again. Do not use the next level
of proof reading for picking up typing errors, but rather use it for
context and readability. (there may still be some typing errrrors.)

14. Do not use spaces as command separators. Do not use commas to
begin commands. Simplify your alternatives and use the most clear
methods, that do the job.

15. Do a CHKDSK before invoking EDLIN, also do a A>dir first. Examine
A>dir after both E )xitsave and Q )uitNOsave. Look for bob-tailing
or strange entries that don't make sense.

16. If you use F4 to skip over characters to a specified character
there will be no characters shown on the line until you use F1, F2 or
F3 to place them there. If you dont like the F4 choice enter ESC to
get back to original line in template then enter  . period to see
current line ( the one you are repairing. )







17. WRITE and APPEND only apply to limited memories and super sized
files, that are not recommended by your favorite egg-basket dropper.
Keep your files short for safety say 10K to 15K seems reasonable with
EDLIN, but the use you put them to is more indicative. More searching
can use longer files. More activities inputting and revising, there
is more chance for a wipe-out.

DOS -- EDLIN "SCORE CARD"  -- Staple it to your DOS card.
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DOS card entries will not be duplicated unless comment is added.
line means line number   *_ is command prompt   nn:*_ is line prompt
DOS-EDLIN commands may be U.C.(caps) or L.C. Always end with <enter>

PLEASE  DO  A>CHKDSK  AND  A>DIR  BEFORE/AFTER  EDLIN  ALWAYS!
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EDLIN name   Edit or create file -- use short names for clarity.

*line        Linenumb to edit, REPEAT, SWAP, SPLIT,  or MOVE.
             See pages II & III in DOS HORNBOOK

*<enter>     Prints next line after current line for editing

*i (or) I    Starts Insert mode above current line, or 1st, last line

*lineI       Insert above line    USE CTRL-BREAK TO CANCEL INSERT MODE

*lineL       List 22 lines from line number shown.

*line,lineL  List lines specified

*L           List 11 lines before current line and 11 lines after.

*.(period)   Prints current line (w/asterisk) at line prompt nn:*___
             Current line is last line edited, next line after Delete
                 next line after inserted lines.

 ALWAYS      DO AN  L  (list)  BEFORE/AFTER PLANNING OR USING DELETE.

*lineD       Delete line specified only

*line,lineD  Delete range of lines specified

*D<enter>    Deletes current line  DO NOT USE THIS COMMAND FOR SAFETY

*E<enter>    Exitsave -- always use this to save files.

*Q<enter>    QuitNOsave - leaves no file (use if EDLIN can't read file)

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(C) PEOPLE SYSTEMS  1983  78 Maplevale Drive
Woodbridge, CT 06525   203-393-3913
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